So, Ed once again had his rezoning application tabled during that November, 2015 council meeting, and until the following January. Frustrated, he then retained Tom’s consulting services in a last ditch effort to turn public perception and the council majority, with just six weeks until the final reconsideration and council vote.

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Tom worked with Ed to repackage his application and launched a comprehensive campaign to inform and counter the misinformation circulating among the neighboring residents, council members and general public; he advertised density-related facts from the Urban Land Institute (as shown above) and revitalization case studies from numerous sources for local consumption. This successfully secured citizen support (including from those who had just spoken in opposition to the project at that most previous council meeting). He then enticed and helped these newly supportive citizens petition city council members directly with their support.

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Tom utilized social media marketing to inform and influence those who in turn would give the council members the backing they needed to approve the rezoning (to include the projects neighbors, other local citizens, the local media and non-elected local government officials). The “transformation” video made by Tom, above in the left column, was among numerous web-based infomercials and infographics deployed to make this effort a success.

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Just six weeks following Ed’s decision to retain Tom’s services and utilize his expertise, the city council voted unanimously to approve the project (read here). A glowing editorial by the local newspaper followed. This is but one example from the many commercial rezoning initiatives in which Tom was hired by real estate developers to ensure approval.